Welcome to 2019! With this new years brings a lot of the same challenges, especially when it comes to promoting your dental practice. So when getting into marketing for the new year, here are the some of the top trends you should be aware of.

Content Marketing

According to Clutch, about 80 percent of small business don’t invest in content marketing, it’s sad but true. Content marketing is huge as it’s a strategic approach to creating and sharing content that is relevant and valuable to your defined target audience. In Layman's terms, that means you’re content isn’t just about selling your services or products. Instead, content marketing allows for a relationship to be built between a company and the customer. This is the best way to build trust, get more people on your website, and ultimately get more people into your practice. Effective content marketing is hard, but it’s beating out the traditional, so it’s time to get creative. Start by telling the story of your brand, help people get to know you, and your practice, etc. Do some research, see what successful things others are doing, and find what works for you.

Video Content

A popular subset of content marketing that continues to rise is video. Whether you’re interested in doing Facebook lives, video stories on Instagram, Vlogs for your website and Youtube, and so much more, now even you are able to do something without hiring a third party. While yes, getting a third party involved is beneficial (especially for the higher quality branded videos for the website), Smartphones with video editing apps helps smaller businesses get quality video content out there for themselves.

Voice Search

For those who don’t know, voice search is a speech recognition technology to aid people in their google searches. From mobile phones to Amazon Echos and even computers, voice search is becoming more prevalent for consumers which will directly affect your website content. Traditional search focuses more on specific keywords while a voice search in nature is more conversational in tone and often results in a question. Make sure that your content answers specific questions that people looking for a dental practice would ask. Deeply consider all aspects of the topics you post about and all the questions that could be asked. In order to effectively optimize for voice search, make sure you are following through with an overall SEO and content strategy for our website. Sure, this seems like a lot of work (and it is), but it’s projected that 50 percent of all Google searches will use a voice search feature by 2020.

Make your new years resolution to stay on top of the 2019 marketing trends for your practice!

What is going to happen to your practice in 2019? Each new year brings some updates which will directly affect your practice. While some are standard changes expected other years, other are projections for how you can stay on top of your practice’s success.

ADA Code Changes

The American Dental Association released a change to the Current Dental Terminology taking effect on the first of January, 2019. Fifteen codes were added and four codes were deleted in the hopes to make the CDT more effective for insurers. The BRS Dental Software, the deleted codes include:

Visit the site to review the 15 new codes for the CDT or here to read the highlights and influences the changes will have.

Laser Dentistry

The CMO of Biolase, Samuel Low, DDS, interviewed with Becker’s Hospital Review and explained the trends he sees moving into 2019. He covered the technology advancements that have been helping dentistry are becoming more digital, which includes the rising prevalence of diode lasers. Surprised? Probably not. He reiterated the well-known benefits such as lessening patient anxiety, limiting the need for local, and faster recovery times. While there may be some bias (fully recognizing our own bias), it’s easy to see that laser dentistry isn’t going away anytime soon. In 2019, we’re honestly going to be seeing more laser units in practices not only for dentists but with AMD’s GNYDM release, for hygienists as well.

Marketing Strategy

Part of your new year's resolutions should be that during 2019, all your marketing decisions will be based on strategy. Now more than ever it’s important to create plans, goals, and a direction for marketing. Shooting from the hip and going with the flow is only going to help you fall farther and farther behind in the marketing grace. The Content Marketing Institutes states that 65 percent of the most successful content marketers document a strategy before executing. While there will be an overall strategy for all marketing, it’s important to also nail down the specifics and even going into details perf each social platform. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but all effective marketing is time, money, or both. Strategic marketing gives you direction to help make marketing easier overall. Once you know your purpose and your goals, the message overall becomes easier to communicate which in turn makes it easier to understand by your consumer.

Comment below with your thoughts on what dentists need to keep in mind for 2019.

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/what-curing-light-is-right-for-your-practice2018-12-19T09:32:00-07:002019-03-04T12:31:11-07:00Which curing light is right for your practiceCAO Marketing

Whether you're doing lots of restorations or not, having the right curing light in your practice can make a world of difference. The wrong light can lead to procedures being more laborious and frustrating than they need to be. Here are some types of curing lights, their benefits, and what you need to look out for.

Halogen Bulbs

These are often referred to as the old-reliables since halogen type curing lights have been around since the ‘80s. Despite its power consumption, need for cords, and cooling fans, halogen curing lights are good because they are able to cure all materials due to it’s longer wavelengths. This is why they replaced UV light and have been pretty consistent for the past 34 years as one of the most commonly used curing lights along with LED. But with the rumors of development on laser curing lights, it’s possible that halogen bulbs will soon be out-of-date.

LED lights

When LED lights first entered the scene in the ’90s, they performed decently. The factor that drove many to the LED then were frustrations with the plasma arc lights. Little things like not being able to cure all materials and having no timer didn’t help LED lights rise in popularity. However, LED lights have made large improvements over the last 20 years. Now, the right LED curing light will be able to cure any light-cured dental material today and come with a timer. Additionally, they can be lightweight, more portable, and smaller in design to reach even the distal surface of third molars. These product specifications will vary between curing lights, so it’s vital to do specific research on each model you are investigating.

Questions to Ask

During product research, it’s important to answer some other questions in order to determine which curing light is right for you.

Is support important to you? Do you want to know the sellers will be contactable, offer a warranty, or support when something goes wrong? Companies vary and it’s important to see what additional benefits a company offers and if that’s even important to you.

Has the light been tested and approved for use in your country? This can be checked by seeing if it has the CE mark.

Will you need to overlap exposure or will the light tip cover most of your restorations? Companies should show if their light can deliver a wide consistent output to avoid hot or cold spots. Subsequently, can the light reach restorations in unique places of the mouth?

There are lots of different choices to consider when looking at adding a new tool to your practice. While many options may make choosing overwhelming, remember, you know your practice needs better than anyone. For additional questions about our curing lights and if they are right for you,contact us.

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/picking-a-laser-which-fiber-is-best-for-you2018-12-12T09:00:00-07:002018-12-18T10:17:55-07:00Picking A Laser: Which Fiber Is Best For You?CAO Marketing

There’s a bit of a debate, with very strong opinions, about whether a fixed fiber or continuous fiber is better. Many dentists swear by one or the other and when it comes to picking a laser for your practice, it’s an important decision to make. Here are the biggest differences between continuous and fixed fibers.

FIXED FIBER

Fixed fibers are housed within the tip, already stripped and cleaved. The only step before you’re ready to get is if the procedure requires tip initiation. While 400 microns is the most common fiber size, the Precise SHP are actually4 different tip sizesto give the dentist more versatility. Arguments for or against fixed fibers come down to leakage, price, and convenience.

Will it leak?

Some claim that fixed fibers leak energy at the connection thus making it less effective. This isn’t exactly true. The connection, or junction, is the point where the fiber in the handpiece connects with the fiber in the tip. That tiny space is where some energy does escape however the energy is then absorbed by the surrounding materials within the handpiece. The dentist and patient are never affected by it. It is true that no fixed fiber tip can be 100%, so calibrations are made to compensate for that. We use the term junction efficiency to refer to the raising of the unit power so that it the lost energy at the junction won’t affect overall performance. If you have set the laser to use 1 watt for the procedure, the laser will produce 1 watt.

Does it affect your wallet?

Fixed fibers are more expensive in the long run. Some dentists believe that in order to save money they will just keep the laser tip used for that patient later. No dentist should ever do this. Not only are there sanitary issues, overall bad practice issues, but this can cause harm to the patient. If kept and used repeatedly, the fiber may split at the ends creating a mini scalpel thus rendering the positive aspects of the laser ineffective. Fixed fiber tips are disposable and meant for only one use for a reason. If your priority to save as much money as possible leads you to consider that choice, please get a continuous fiber.

Convenient or not?

Speed in prep time is one of the biggest arguments for a fixed fiber laser; some dentists seem to go blue in the face because they believe this argument is incorrect. Both sides have some truth. If a laser company tells you that it will take minutes every time to strip and cleave your continuous fiber, that is wrong. However, there is a learning period. Stripping and cleaving correctly is still a learning process that you will have to go through to perfect. So in the beginning, it may take you a little longer, you may mess up and use more fiber. But once you are proficient, then prep time will only take a manner of 5 seconds or so. For those who don’t want to go through that process and are looking for something immediately ready, right from the beginning, the fixed fiber is more convenient.

CONTINUOUS FIBER

Continuous fiber models are known for having an overall lowest cost-per-patient savings because the fiber is housed in the unit giving the dentist control over how much fiber is used at a time. With each use, the tip must be thrown away and the fiber cut back to a new, unused section. Most continuous fiber units have a management system to extend or retract the fiber lessening mess and tangles. Once the fiber is fed through the disposable tip, it must be stripped and then cleaved before use.

How to strip and cleave

Stripping means removing the outer layer of the fiber known as the insulation while cleaving is creating a controlled break on the end face of the fiber. Use the fiber stripper to remove that insulation and access the optical fiber inside. Place the fiber cleaver (or cleaving stone) at a 45-degree angle to the optical fiber to make the cut. The fiber must never be cut at a 90-degree angle or using the stone to cut all the way through the fiber. Instead, run the stone at that 45-degree angle along the fiber twice to scribe it. This creates a breaking point along the fiber allowing you to then snap it with your fingers. Check the tip by turning the light on and holding it against a piece of paper. A red circle of light should be very clear and defined; you correctly stripped and cleaved the fiber.

Fiber Size

While the fixed fibers come in a variety of sizes, continuous fibers only come in 400 microns. This really isn’t a detriment because this fiber size can be used in all procedures. It’s excellent at clearing away tissue quickly and precisely. Unless you’re needing to get into the pulp chamber or to do a non-contact procedure for a large area quickly, 400 microns is the best size.

YOUR CHOICE

Take your time and get to know the laser options out there. Reach out to your network as well as contacting the sales reps at the different laser companies to have them walk you through the tip differences on their lasers. Whether you want to go the continuous or fixed fiber route is up to you. You know your practice and its needs better than anyone. Feel free tocontact usfor any diode laser needs.]]>
https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/why-are-disposable-tips-different-sizes2018-12-05T10:13:00-07:002018-12-05T10:57:10-07:00Why are Disposable Tips Different SizesCAO Marketing

While disposable tips are super efficient, we have noticed some questions regarding the different sizes and their uses. The Precise SHP disposable tips are broken down according to the diameter of the optical fiber measured in microns; 200µm, 300µm, 400µm, and 600µm. The different sizes aid in doing particular procedures more precisely. Here’s the breakdown on what they should be used for.

200 microns

Given that this is the finest tip, it’s no surprise it’s best used for those incredibly precise and dainty procedures. One way the 200µm can be particularly useful is with getting into the pulp chamber for pulpotomies. If you use the 200µm when cutting tissue, there might be some hemorrhaging. Hemostasis is possible, but you may need to sweep the laser fiber over the area in a sweeping motion for a couple seconds to achieve this.

300 microns / 400 microns

We’re putting these two together because they are both known as the “workhorse tips”. The 300µm and 400µm are the most commonly used fiber size because they are effective for practically every procedure. The only differences are that the 300µm is able to do more precision work while the 400µm is able to clear away tissue a little faster given its wider swath. 400µm overall may be the most common fiber diameter given that most continuous fibers come exclusively in that size.

600 microns

The 600µm is less for precise work and more for covering larger areas and should not be used for cutting tissue. Typically this fiber tip is useful for getting coagulation over a large area quickly or a non-contact procedure where a large area of the mouth needs to be treated.

If you’re a first-time diode laser owner, we suggest starting out with the 300µm or 400µm given you can use them in a variety of procedures from frenectomies or gingivitis, to lesion removal. If you want some extra advice, feel free to contact us and one of our representatives can help you figure out what’s best for your practice.

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/history-of-laughing-gas2018-11-28T09:00:00-07:002018-12-18T10:20:00-07:00History Of Laughing GasCAO Marketing
While today it’s mostly responsible for the great videos of patients post wisdom teeth extraction, there are some patients who can’t even get through a cleaning without the calming effects of the gas. Laughing gas was one of the biggest assets to dentistry back in the day and helped a dark industry grow.

While today it’s mostly responsible for the great videos of patients post wisdom teeth extraction, there are some patients who can’t even get through cleaning without the calming effects of the gas. Laughing gas was one of the biggest assets to dentistry back in the day and helped a dark industry grow.

Discovery

In the 1800s, an English chemist named Humphry Davy started self-experimenting to see how nitrous oxide affected people. He and His assistant, Dr. Kinglak, would collect the gas from ammonium nitrate crystals, purify it through water, and finally inhale through a mouthpiece. Davy and Kinglake rather enjoyed the experimentations as they were put in a state of ease and relaxation. Davy referred to it as an “ideal existence.” Over the years, the self-experimentation become more extreme. At one point Davy created an air-tight box where he would sit for hours inhaling mostly gas. It comes as no surprise that Davy had a couple of near-death experiences, but through all the “experiments,” he was consistent at taking thorough notes on the experience.

Exposure

Although Davy researched nitrous oxide extensively, Gardner Quincy Colton and Horace Wells were the ones who helped integrate the gas into dentistry. Colton was a traveling showman who had left medical school to make public demonstrations and lectures on the effects of the gas. During one of his shows in Hartford, Connecticut in 1844, Wells sat amazed in the audience. The performance had shown how an audience member didn’t feel pain from his injured leg because he inhaled the gas. Wells was ecstatic about the possibilities this could hold for dentistry. In that same year, Wells tried to prove the pain relieving qualities of nitrous oxide by inhaling the gas before his own tooth was pulled. He quickly realized while the gas doesn’t help specifically with pain relief, it has amazing relaxation effects for procedures.

Colton also ended up becoming a big proponent for helping to integrate nitrous oxide in dentistry. Years after his influence in the life of Wells and a failed attempt at finding gold in California, Colton headed back to the east coast to start a Dental Association. Colton and his partners became very successful in pushing nitrous oxide into the industry and had tens of thousands of successful tooth extractions. Nitrous Oxide soon got its nickname “laughing gas” and became popular not only for dentistry but for the use of general anesthesia in other medical practices.

Not many of the dental tools discovered or invented over 150 years ago are still used today. What’s your favorite part of this history? What other tools do you think have revolutionized dentistry? Comment and let us know!

Technology in dentistry is constantly updating and changing. New tools can help dentists more effectively provide service to their patients or help patients better at-home oral care. This year has presented the market with new unique options for the industry. Here are three of the big technology advances for dentsits and their patients.

Digital impressions

Intraoral scanners are able to take digital impressions for virtual models and 3D printing of uniquely accurate dental models. Direct optical impressions have several advantages over conventional impressions. Because the plaster molds are no longer needed, optical impressions are more efficient, simple, and provide more information when the impressions are complex. This completely solves the issues of plaster mess, patient discomfort, and frees up the dental chair. Accuracy is also more attainable when it comes to creating implants, individual restorations or even 3-4 element bridges on natural teeth.

3D printing

While this technology has been around since the early 1980s, 3D printers are more readily available and affordable, dental labs are able to digitize complete workflows by printing asolid model. However, this beneficial tech for dental labs all depend on if dentists use intraoral scanning. These dental models are remarkably accurate creating the perfect tool for solving specific oral issues per patient. This can assist with crowns or bridge models, orthodontics, diagnostic models and even surgical guides.

Bluetooth Toothbrushes

The electric toothbrush is getting a tech update with the addition of Bluetooth. The biggest leader is Philips Sonicare with Oral B close behind. The Philip’s Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected brush has sensors in the handle for real-time tracking of patient brushing ability. Through the app, it creates a 3D virtual map of the mouth to identify brushing quality. The toothbrush will show if the patient is brushing too hard, provides a brushing time limit, and helps identify missed spots. The app also allows for the patient to set goals for areas that need more work or remind them to be more careful in areas recently worked on. If the patient or dentists desires, data can be compiled to report overall habits and success for patient brushing habits.

Comment below with your thoughts. Will these technologies make more of an impact in dentistry or will they fade out by next year? Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.

Much like the charcoal teeth whitening trend that still permeates the market, there are many fads that capture the interests of your patients. The danger with these fads is the potential damage they can cause to your patient's teeth. Most blogs talk about the success and the Instagram stars show nothing but results, so most patients don’t have the information to know if their teeth are being harmed in the process.

Natural: Fluoride-free Toothpaste

Like many others, this fad falls into the category of the “all natural” fad. Brands like Tom’s, Hello, and Brandless state its products are antiplaque all while connecting to the preservative-free and cruelty-free market. The product description for Hello’s antiplaque + whitening fluoride free toothpaste states, “this paste helps to brush away plaque, show visible tartar who’s boss and naturally whitens with friendly minerals”. Often the public belief is that cavities are prevented mainly through brushing away the sugar, plaque, and bacteria. As that ideology mixes with the desire to take in more natural or holistic products, it’s no surprise going fluoride-free is popular for adults and children.

Fashion: Teeth Gems

This fashion craze mostly caters to youths and has been popularized across Instagram. Tooth gems are small gems glued to the enamel. The adhesive can last upwards of 6 weeks or closer to a year for a more semi-permanent option. While it’s up to each dentist whether or not they feel they can provide this service, currently dentists aren’t the ones using adhesives on people’s teeth. Most places to get tooth gems are tattoo shops or specialty tooth gem studios which offer tech classes or a training class. Tooth Kandy, a prominent studio for the tooth gem industry in LA, offers training courses that can be taken in person or via Facetime. The course is a 3 to 4-hour training to learn the history, product knowledge, and hands-on learning to become a certified tooth gem technician.

Weight Loss: Fad diet: Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is pushing its way back to the top again as the weight loss drink of choice. Health blogs state that drinking apple cider vinegar improves metabolism, reduces fat storage, burns fat, and suppresses appetite. While some sites recommend adding apple cider vinegar to the diet through salad dressings, the most common way is to drink one to two tablespoons before lunch and dinner. There is the option to dilute the mixture in water but it’s up to the individual if they want to take it straight. The use of apple cider vinegar is also a little controversial. Some dentists say it weakens tooth enamel and others claim a mouth rinse can help with cold sores without tooth damage if the vinegar is diluted in water.

No matter what fad your patients get involved in, you can be there to help educate, support and guide. Being informed can help you guide patients to making the best tooth saving decisions in their personal lives. This helps build a trust-based relationship that can immensely benefit your practice as a whole.

Is it safe for patients to whiten their teeth overnight? While most of us feel like this is a straightforward and easy question, there was a recent discussion about this on Dentaltown. An assistant expressed concern about the wear on enamel if patients bleached overnight, let alone for longer than an hour a day. They claimed the acidity of the gel will eat away at the enamel. While this topic can be explored about the length of bleaching in general, we’re just focusing on whether or not bleaching overnight can hurt the enamel.

Carbamide Peroxide

As you may already know, overnight whitening products use carbamide peroxide in contrast to its more potent counterpart; hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and urea at a 1:3 ratio. With the urea as a stabilizing force for the active agent, it releases the peroxide slower and elevates the pH levels in the mouth during the treatment. In the first two hours, the carbamide peroxide will have released 50 percent of its peroxide and can stay active for up to 6 additional hours.

pH levels

The concern about the “acidity” of whitening products is that it will cause a demineralization of the tooth enamel. Normal mouth pH can range from 6.2 to 7.0, so the demineralization of enamel will typically occur if the pH levels decline to 5.7 or less. It’s at that point when enamel erosion can occur. Given that the urea in carbamide peroxide gels keeps the pH from falling, there should be no concern for enamel erosion even from overnight bleaching.

Rule of Thumb

The rule of thumb for many dentists has been to bleach until the teeth become sensitive, take a break for a minimum of a week, then continue as needed. This idea allows for flexibility given that patients are unique and widely differ from each other. That’s why the pre-whitening examinations are key. Determine the condition of the patient's mouth, the best whitening regimen specifically for them, and go from there.

The nerves and slight stress some patients feel when heading to the dentist are quite common. About 75 percent of adults in the US experience this sensation. However, an estimated 10 percent experience so much fear and anxiety it’s classified as a phobia. Not only does this have a negative effect on their mental health, but can be detrimental to their oral health.

A brief overview

The causes for this phobias range widely from traumatic experiences, historical mental health issues, or both. Most common symptomsof extreme anxiety and panic are often shown through hyperventilation, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, shaking and a number of other reactions.

While dentophobia is the fear of going to the dentist, the core reasoning behind that fear can widely vary between people. That’s why often times odontophobia, the fear of teeth or dental surgery, is often used as a synonym for dentophobia. Often times it’s the fear of the dentist themselves or the fear of feeling pain. In other cases, it’s the fear of needles, numbness, loss of control, or even certain smells and sounds which are the root trigger for this severe fear.

Treatment options

It comes as no surprise that the condition of oral health in these individuals is not the best. But luckily there are different treatment methods so these individuals are able to get the care they need. We can break the types of assistance that are offered to these individuals into two categories: sedation and solution.

Solution Approach

A solution approach is focusing more on helping the individual heal and overcomes their mental afflictions. These steps include more counseling based operatives with professional help. Often time this is individual counseling exclusively sought out by patients. As a dental professional, this area might seem limited to try to get involved in, but there is the potential to create meaningful connections with the community. Fear clinics are one way which provides opportunities for psychologist and local dentists to work together in teaching techniques to help diminish and manage the fear and anxiety. While these are not very common currently, there are some practices that have employed this technique. Outside of community support, options like meeting with the patient beforehand can be beneficial for both parties. This can be a prime time to discuss if the patient should bring in a support person, a comfort object, an iPod for music or other tools to help assist in calming the patient during the appointment. Relaxation techniques can also be suggested and taught if it seems it would benefit the patient’s situation.

Sedation Approach

A sedation approach refers to using different methods or medications to sedate the patient for the cleaning or procedure. This can be anything from using a laughing gas or prescribing anxiety medication before the appointment. In these situations, dentists and phobic patients meet together before an appointment to discuss the details.

Handling fear is hard for everyone, but for those dealing with a phobia, it’s practically impossible. Luckily, their families and loved ones are not the only ones who can provide assistance in this battle. If you haven’t already, now is a great time to become educated on Dentophobia and ways you can get involved in helping patients through this. If you have any tips, thoughts or stories you would like to share, comment below! We'd love to hear from you!

A dentist needs the best and most up to date tools especially when it comes to giving your patients the best smiles. But changing your trusty tools is understandably intimidating. That’s why we focus on giving the best information when it comes to helping you find the best diode laser.

Benefits

Diode lasers are a minimally invasive method in dealing with soft tissue procedures that outshine the effectiveness of the scalpels. Get faster healing time, step away from sutures and stop worrying about adequate coagulation. Some of the most commonly performed procedures with a diode laser include Gingivectomy, biopsy and fibroma removal, hemostasis, abscess care and much more.

Tip for Gingivectomy

If we look specifically at a Gingivectomy, use the Precise LTM laser on 1.2 watts continuous with an initiated tip to accurately sculpt the gingiva. Since the Hemoglobin, melanin, pigmentation, and water are all absorbed by the laser energy; the dentin, enamel, and titanium are not affected. Using a laser in this specific procedure has a distinct advantage over the tried and true scalpel. The laser energy precisely vaporizes soft tissue while simultaneously coagulating the underlying connective tissue resulting with little to no bleeding. Patients also experience significantly less postsurgical pain, little to no swelling and faster healing times.

Laser dentistry has raised the standard in dental care. Not only does this tool simplify soft tissue procedures, but expands the patient scope since it can be used with pacemakers, braces, metal crowns, and more. Consider adding a laser to your practice; not just to simplify your life, but also the patients.

A recent poll on Dental Town showed that 70 percent of dentists who voted believed online reviews were important for their practice. While it seems more practitioners are getting on board, going through the comments showed that the 30 percent against online reviews are still holding fast to misconceptions about the tool. We want to dispel some common myths about this tool so that every practice can benefit from taking full advantage of their online presence.

MYTH: Millennials are the only ones viewing the online reviews

Don’t be deceived, Millennials are not the only tech-savvy people out there. Pew Research shows that half of adults 50 years-old and younger routinely check online reviews before any purchasing decision. That’s a lot of people who can miss out on your business.

MYTH: One bad review will undo all the good ones

The horror stories are real and there are old clients who have gone berserk while giving a bad review. We hope that this doesn’t befall any of you, but if it does, it’s not the end of your business. No business is scot-free when it comes to unreasonable clients, and people understand that. Not only can these be opportunities to respond and show your diplomatic side, but often times your community will stand up for you and help point out uncalled-for behavior.

MYTH: “Older” docs don’t need them

These are the established dentists who have connections, a presence within their community and have probably already paid off their student loans. But no matter where your practice is, it's important to remember that every business needs some flow of new patients. Ninety percent of consumers read online reviews before they visit a business. With how integrated the internet has become in everyone’s day-to-day, why not nurture your online presence?

MYTH: Reviews only help show people why other people like me

While it's true that reviews are like the word of mouth tool for the internet and the comments people leave are beneficial. But reviews are not a one trick pony. Google reviews can greatly benefit your website SEO. Lots of reviews, high star ratings, and even responding to reviews can help your business appear higher in organic rankings. What practice doesn’t want to come up as the first option when a potential client googles “Local Dentists”?

MYTH: The reviews sound fake and won’t convince anyone

While there is such thing as paying to get fake reviews, people are most often able to tell the difference and know when something seems real. Fifty-one percent of patients are using a search engine to find a dentist and 84 percent of people trust online reviews as much as recommendations from a friend. These numbers are too big to let your Facebook, Google and Yelp reviews fall by the wayside.

The Take Away

You don’t need to stop everything and throw all you have into your reviews online right now. Most things online start small and compound over time. Take the time to ask your patients for reviews, respond and engage, and little by little your online presence will grow.

We love newer, better technology, so it’s no surprise that as of 2017, there were over 85 million iPhone users in the U.S. That’s why CAO group used the sleek technology of Apple in the Precise SHP Soft Tissue Diode Lasers to simplify dental procedures and patient experience.

How the Precise SHP uses Apple

By taking advantage of Apple’s simple user interface through an app, the Precise SHP Diode Laser gives dental practitioners a variety of tools and resources at the touch of a finger. The Precise app holds 21 presets for procedures, customizability for the laser, procedural training videos and a facetime option for customer support. This will ultimately help you simplify 20 plus procedures without sacrificing patient care and comfort. This laser is completely unique being the only laser on the market that uses an iPod as the laser controls.

Other Features

The Precise SHP is has sterilized fixed fiber tips for less prep time with each patient. Additional accessories and settings make this diode laser suitable for other services like temporary pain relief, inflammation reduction, or effective teeth whitening.

Now is the best time to buy from CAO Group! From October 1st to December 31st, we will be offering competitive sales prices for our biggest products. If you’re looking at soft tissue diode lasers or professional grade whitening, you have come to the right place. Don’t miss this chance!

You can save up to $1,890 on the Precise LTM today. We’re offering $1,140 in savings as a $750 Cash Rebate for this limited time offer. Lower your cost-per-patient and offer faster healing time with this versatile soft tissue diode laser.

We’re offering a $750 Cash rebate plus a discount of $1,700 for a total savings of up to $2,450 when you purchase a brand new Precise SHP laser. Now you can have a state-of-the-art diode laser paired with the cutting-edge operating system of Apple in your practice!

Maybe you have heard about Sheer White or maybe you have already tried it. Whatever the reason, Sheer White professional whitening strips has great specials specifically for new and existing customers!

New Customers

Buy 1 Intro Kit and get another Intro Kit for free! Into Kits are the perfect sample size to see how this unique whitening strip can benefit your office. Each Intro Kit comes with 6 Patient Take-Home Kits, a counter display, and patient marketing brochures.

Buy 1 Into Kit and get a Value Kit for free. The Value Kit contains 6 In-Office patient treatments. This way, you’ll be able to see the effectiveness of pairing the In-Office whitening strips with the Take-Home strips which can whiten up to 8 shades when combined.

Existing Customers

Take $50 off a Bulk Kit which includes 24 patient Take-Home kits. If you have been running low on Take-Home whitening strips, now is the perfect time to stock up. Don’t forget, the best way for these strips to last to their expiration date is to keep them refrigerated.

We hope you are just as excited about these savings as we are. Contact us today for any questions or concerns regarding this promotion.

Offer is valid only between October 1st, 2018 through December 31st, 2018. Each customer is limited to one purchase per product in order to have the product qualify for the sale. If a duplicate purchase is made, only one of the products will qualify.

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/help-your-patients-to-open-up-about-their-smile2018-09-26T10:19:00-06:002018-10-26T11:14:21-06:00Help your patients to open up about their smileCAO Marketing

A person’s smile is really important, and dentists know this better than anyone else. Often it’s hard for patients to talk about the insecurities they have with their smile, which makes it harder for dentists to offer the help they so desperately want to give. If this is a struggle you are seeing in your practice, here are 3 different ways you could help your patients open up.

Try paperwork

A simple way to address these issues with new patients is being able to refer to something they wrote in the registration paperwork. By adding a section specifically asking their opinion about their smile, this creates a great opener to talk about any issues in the appointment. The section can be an open-ended question or even a system for patients to rate on a scale how their smile is and where they want it to be. Now you can follow up with simple questions like,

“ I see you said on your paperwork that you have stains you can’t get rid of. Have you heard of options A or B?”

“ You currently rated your smile as a 3 but want it to be a 7. Why do you think your smile is a three?”

While there is the potential patients will skip the section, it has the opportunity to create an opening for the people that did take the time to fill it out.

Use the hygienist

Given that the hygienist is with the patient for a longer period of time, there are a lot more opportunities available to them. Empower your hygienists to make these observations and use the time to start talking to the patient about concerns or options so that you can address and follow up on the conversation during your consultation. This allows patients more time to digest information making the situations feel less abrasive. Questions like,

“If you had a wish to change something about your teeth, what would you want to do?”

“I’m noticing some staining in area A of your teeth, have you tried or considered any whitening options?”

“Did you know that we can actually replace your metal fillings with a filling that looks like natural teeth?”

Instead of telling them what they should be doing, use questions that help the patient feel like their opinion matters to help in discussing these areas. As hygienists tactfully approach these conversations, it adds another way for patients to feel cared about.

Listen, Suggest and Educate

Part of helping patients open up is showing them you and your staff are good listeners. Although these same principles are used in the second suggestion, it’s important that in all conversations with your patients they feel heard and safe. A lot of trust is built when someone knows they are heard which leads to feeling understood. Find times when your tools are not in your patient's mouth to ask questions, actively listen and show interest in their concerns. The way you listen will vary from patient to patient given their individual communication style. This should help establish mutual respect creating a more open and constructive environment when it's time to suggest ideas or treatments for them to consider. Help them see the benefits and put them at ease by educating them about procedures. You know your patients the best and will be able to find the opportunities to have those conversations.

﻿You're Already There

Dentists work hard on developing good relationships with patients and part of that is in the quality work they provide. The biggest thing to remember is that your patients already trust your expertise and experience. Sometimes the first step is being confident in yourself to offer suggestions for change. All a lot of patients need is to just hear the suggestions, so don’t hesitate.

To our dedicated users of the Precise SHP Soft Tissue Diode Laser, the app is now updated to work with iOS 12. We know how you Apple lovers have been on edge in anticipation for the release of the iPhone XS, Apple Watch 4, and iOS 12. Whether or not you get a new device, the iOS updates always make your device feel brand new and we want you to feel that way too. Please don’t forget to update the iPods that came with your SHP laser.

Hopefully, you have been satisfied with your change from scalpel to diode laser as your tool of choice for soft tissue procedures. Remember, there are other uses for the diode laser above and beyond the 20 presets provided to assist in a variety of soft tissue treatments like gingival hyperplasia or fibroma removal. If you haven’t tried one of the three on-device presets for biostimulation, inflammation, and joint relief, you can start today by bringing the temporary pain relief handpiece equipped with your Precise SHP.

Continue to unleash the artist within and create those perfect smiles using our Precise SHP. Reduce pain and increase patient healing time with the most advanced soft tissue diode laser system.

Don’t forget to visit our website and see other innovative products you can add to your practice.

We know you are a good dentist. Your patients are happy and you do everything you can to give them the best experience. But with the number of dentists out there, sometimes getting more patients is hard. Instead of turning to another promotion to fill your chairs, turn to a product that can help increase your number of regular patients, improve the patient experience and cut down on chair time per patient.

Sheer White! In-Office is a professional grade teeth whitening strip that simplifies in-office whitening. This unique whitening strip is made from the flexible SheerFilm technology that becomes translucent after the strip is molded to the teeth. Since the strip is adhesive, it holds the whitening formula to the enamel without leakage; all while allowing your patient to talk or even drink cold liquids. It takes one minute to apply, 30 minutes to cure and can whiten up to three shades in this little time.

This unique whitening experience can also be used as a marketing tool for your dental office. The immediate whitening results of Sheer White! are convincing and compel patients to visit your practice on regular basis. Sheer White! also offers a take-home kit that complements the in-office treatment. By using a 20% carbamide peroxide composition, these strips are a comprehensive at-home whitening solution. Patients should wear Sheer White! for 1 to 2 hours during each application to whiten teeth up to 5 shades in 5 days.

Everyone knows oral health is important and according to a survey from Delta Dental, 85 percent of Americans agree that it’s crucial for a healthy life. Use Sheer White! as a way to tap that market and not only make teeth whitening easier for your office, but to attract those patients with a safer and more effective way to whiten from home.

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/cao-exhibits-at-the-cda-20182018-05-17T12:16:00-06:002018-10-01T11:21:27-06:00CAO Exhibits at the CDA, 2018CAO MarketingWe are excited to invite you to try out our most intuitive and powerful products this week at the CDA 2018 convention in Anaheim. The Precise LTM and Precise SHP soft-tissue diode lasers will be featured in live demos. Get hands-on experience of how to use soft tissue diode lasers. Not only this, our SheerWhite! professional teeth whitening stripswill also be on display. Learn more from the experts about our In-office and Take Home SheerWhite products.

The vibes today are simply fabulous! Looking forward to seeing you all at Booth #1764. Don't forget to pick up your Free SheerWhite Sample!

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/get-hands-on-experience-with-a-precise-soft-tissue-diode-laser-at-the-2018-hinman-dental-meeting2018-03-22T11:25:00-06:002018-10-01T11:22:50-06:00Hands-on experience with Precise laser at 2018 Hinman Dental MeetingCAO MarketingWe are excited to invite you to try out our most intuitive and powerful products this week. The Precise LTM and Precise SHP soft-tissue diode lasers will be featured in live demos given by our exclusive distributor of Precise Lasers, Henry Schein Dental at the 2018 Hinman Dental Meeting. The meeting is being held this week on March 22nd through the 24th at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Henry Schein’s highly trained team will be offering dental professionals the opportunity to try out Precise Lasers for themselves at booth 709. Experience how easy it is to operate a Precise laser and test its many features; such as the Precise LTM with its powerful 5-watt performance, 20-inch retractable fiber, and intuitive display panel with 4 programmable settings. Also try the Precise SHP with its lightweight portability, iPod Touch® integration, and 21 procedure presets.

If you can’t make it to booth 709 at the Hinman meeting, you can still try out a Precise Laser for yourself by scheduling an in-office laser demo. The quick in-office demonstration will help you see how Precise Lasers will broaden your treatment options, enhance your patient care and help you become more profitable.

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/sheerwhite-makes-an-excellent-giveaway-promotion-on-social-media2018-02-16T13:33:00-07:002018-10-01T11:24:22-06:00Oklahoma dental office uses SheerWhite! for a Valentine's social media contestCAO MarketingFor Valentine's day, Walker Family Dentistry, of Fort Gibson, OK, hosted a contest for their patients and followers on Facebook: Guess the number of tongue depressors and win a free kit of SheerWhite! teeth whitening strips.

It created a unique post that gathered multiple organic likes and created an opportunity to post a video announcing the winner. The video quickly had 150 views and featured their front desk team.

Because SheerWhite! requires no impressions, is easy-to-use, it makes for excellent giveaways that are high-value and can help promote your practice.

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https://www.caogroup.com/blogs/news/sheerwhite-the-ultimate-whitening-experience2018-01-18T10:55:00-07:002018-10-01T11:23:24-06:00CAO Group, Inc. Founder Featured on Top Dental PodcastCAO MarketingDensen Cao, Ph.D. was recently interviewed by Dr. Howard Farran, founder of DentalTown magazine and dentaltown.com, on the Dentistry Uncensored podcast. In this interview, Dr. Cao shares his history of how he created Cao Group, Inc. and his background in material sciences and electrical engineering.

In the episode, Dr. Cao discusses his early background in LED technology, his journey to Utah from China, entrance into the dental industry, and inventing and patenting the first LED dental curing light.

Dr. Farran delves into the topic of oral medicament strip technology by CAO Group and its possibilities for improved medicine delivery. CAO's flexible and form-fitting strips can be used to effectively deliver fluoride, whiteners, and medicines that desensitize teeth. Future development includes strips that remineralize enamel, anesthetize, and eliminate bacteria.